Serendipity
Serendipity City* Written by Joy Messerschmidt aka Negit That Chapter 1 “Not all that glitters is gold, not all who wanders is lost.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien Sometimes it just takes one mistake to realize that our reality is more magical than it seems. It just takes one day of rain to paint the city in shimmers so on edge that it hurts; the streetlights cake on a glow of green and yellow. The regal lampposts in the city guards the way to something that is not known yet mysterious. Almost as if to say: “Warning: everything you’ve ever known as normal is a lie and hides the secrets of the night.”I wish I knew but at the same time: I’m glad I didn’t know and it was a surprise. If you go past the restaurant known as bitterSweet, you meet a street corner almost lost by the buildings arms that punch the sky. There is a green apartment house hidden by the skyline. The door almost said to me breathlessly: “Enter” and the seagull flying by ascending into the words: “Give us all your secrets and we’ll lay them here.” Have you ever just read a book and gotten bored? Then you turn the book sideways and notice that all the paragraphs Form a city line and you traced them in and drew in a moon. Have you ever drawn through the heart everything that ever happened; and found that the drawer with his picture there is faded: and the city hides its Secrets inside the words again and refuses to return until you draw in the quarter moon. You always need the quarter moon penned in to fill in the concept of the sideways city. So, here is the quarter moon. He’s a vampire who howls at the moon, and I’m the poet who taught him. Whoa. Before I get ahead of myself, let’s start at the beginning of the paragraph city or a city otherwise known as Serendipity. Chapter 2 Where the Earth Rusts: crumbled like crumpets; choxie chocolate: taste of freedom where one grass blade pierces the sky like an eagle's roar. ~MoMo Spoonork “Are you lost?” I wander by the old shops comfortably tucked in the corners of exclamation marks with sales and rebates. “Miss. Are you lost.” Stunned I turn around and walk into handsome model. Adonis didn’t even compare to his body proportions. As if understanding the awkward situation of walking into someone To the degree of hugging them. He quietly snuggled out of my arms. “Do I know you?” he said with a casual smile. “Not unless we met in dreams.” I replied in a witty cut. It seemed to have caught him. “What if we did?” His eyes like mood rings glowed violet then aqua blue then flecked green. All the stories about meeting night time strangers seemed to whip through my mind And I cautiously asked: “Are you selling drugs.” He smirked: “No, I sell dreams.” I know I should have left at the moment admitting to myself that I met the nut in the city But I metaphorically became a squirrel, and this nut seemed very shiny. I pursed my lips: “I’d like to buy a dream.” He studied the cupid arch of my lips And then glanced down in shame: “I’m not a very good dream catcher. I’m a dilettante.” “Oh” I in surprise signaled for how much a dream costs And he motioned for 35 dollars. Before I paid another figure wandered by with his arching shadow. The cut of his nose looked cruel. The dream seller acknowledged the person: “Crocodile.” “James, if she doesn’t like your services she can always buy drugs from me. It gets to the high more quickly than you.” “Croc, mind your own business. It’s not like elves to degrade themselves to the point of selling drugs for a living.” “Oh, oh and what do you sell James? You sell? What..the intangible…dreams was it? It’s such bullshit.” He laughed cruelly walking away while handing me his card. The dream seller bowed his head down in shame. The blue leaves in the night whispered their poetry then silently sang to the stars. I paid thirty-five dollars on the spot. I asked out loud and it rang out: “So where’s the dream?” “In a kiss.” I looked stunned. Here I am. Eighteen. Book Nerd. Refused to go to high school prom And I bought a kiss. Wow. Blushing I wanted to ask for a timeout. Before I could I was crooned into a flower that fluttered like a butterfly. My first kiss. It only costs 35 dollars. It should be named broken heart because it broke my wallet. He nipped my bottom lip and the kiss bloomed with blood. Suddenly he stopped kissing me and knelt to pick up a nickel. Yet ended up picking up the nickels shadow and putting it in his pocket. The shadow fell through the pocket hole and landed back on top of the nickel. “You are allowed five days in Serendipity City before you return.” Chapter 3 You, are undefined; unrefined; unruly: singular in individuality yet connected to the great love-being. Take your time; it all works out. ~MoMo Spoonork My body jerked in shock as everything around me changed from The easy going lampposts to something more from ancient times. A dwarf walked by and greeted me: “Eledona how you’ve grown. Haven’t seen you since childhood. It’s good you bought a dream ticket back to family. You belong to the troll’s family. I’ll take you there.” “My name isn’t Eledona. My name is Eledona.” I shockingly realized I repeated my name twice in dream language. The dwarf looked at me a little un-nerved and covered for me for the rest of the dwarven family: “She’s trying to tell the negative energy to go away.” A little dwarven girl responded: “don’t use ancient practices to ward of evil, just be a good person…” “Galea, I’m sure our guest wishes to return to family. Would you like to lead her?” The dwarven gypsy grandmother kindly gestured and Galea accepted. “So, you’re a troll from which family?” Esmeralda responded quickly: “Oh Eledona belongs to the best part of Serendipity City. Her family name is Smith. Quickly Child lead her there.” “Grandma, do I get my favorite dish made if I lead her there safely?” “Of course you do. I predict apple dumplings and a story.” “A good story grandma ma?” “Of course about this spoiled princess named Cinderella Who makes her maid do all the hard work.” Galea smiled and took my hand. “I’ll lead you there.” I quietly walked with her. “How old are you?” “Oh, I’m thirteen. My blood flowed just last month. I’m a woman now and I’m saving up for my wedding.” “Oh, that’s interesting.” I said shocked that she was so brutally honest about it. “Yeah, now you have to take me seriously.” She boldly declared out loud. “No more childish nonsense.” She nodded as if to agree with an older person. I smiled. “Grow slowly or you’ll miss the best part of your life without knowing it.” “Yes, miss.” She led me up to a pub cabin And said: “Wait for 4:30. He’ll arrive in just a minuet to take you home. He’s the family servant.” I reached in my pocket to give Galea something and found a quarter. She took the quarter then gave it back saying: “It’s different. Says its from a country named America. We have a different system here. It’s all right. Our family are friends. Esme grandma helps out at your house a lot. No worries.” “Thank you Galea.” Galea smiled with her rich honey eyes and hinted to the receptionist at the pub that I’m a very high classed customer. “Have we met before?” A sly voice asked. “You.” I irkingly responded. “I only asked to buy a dream. This is an entirely different world.” “Fighting with your ladyfriend again, James?” the bartender guffawed. He eyed my face and cleverly took my hand and responded, “Of course, she’s my girlfriend.” I blushed red apples. “Yes” the old barmaid responded “But how long will this one last James?” The problem with James an old timer commented at the bar Is that he loves wild women and wants them at his every beck and call. They just can’t handle how he rides. Everyone in the bar laughed out loud in jeers and guffaws again. James responded: “I made a lot of money today. Free drinks around. On the house. On me.” “He-rah” The whole bar responded and made merry with drinks. “You own this bar?” I lightly asked stunned. “Yeah, it’s another way to make a living ain’t it?” He passed me a beer mug and said again noticing: “Oh, old 4:30 hasn’t made it yet has he. The old tyke.” “James.” I cut sharply. “I’m in another world.” “Look lady. I don’t have the time to argue with you about these matters. Everybodies merry. Why can’t you join the fun?” “James.” “Eledona, just relax until the morning. 4:30 will pick you up no problem. Visit your old family and have fun.” “James.” “Yes. Squire. How’s the rooms?” “We don’t have room for Eledona tonight. It’s a full house. I think it’s the drinks that did it.” “Squire.” “Yes, James.” “Isn’t there a room in Yom lounge around 404 that’s available?” “James, that’s…” “No questions or buts.” “James, that’s…” “No no…just do it.” James replied blushing chucking him the keys to the lounge. Winking at me James responds: “Best in the house.” Chapter 4 The sound of a tortoise step; echoes inside a rainbow realizing its not the pot of gold; its the whisper of dust; erase the faded colors. ~MoMo Spoonork “This is your room?” I shrieked in my pajamas. “The best in the house.” Stunned I shrieked again. “I’m not sleeping here.” “Look just relax on the floor. I’m sleeping on the bed.” I threw a pillow at his head. “James, there is no way. I’m sleeping on the floor.” He threw it back at my guts and it hit hard. “Where else do you wish to lay?” He sighed. “Look, I’ll put a fork here on the bed. I won’t reach across it to your space And you won’t reach to mine. Alright?” I growled and grumbled then edged to the feathered bed And slipped in satisfied that the iron fork kepted his distance. Suddenly later that night a foot pushed the fork away and he leaned in close And hugged me as he softly snored. “Horrible indecent bastard,” I cursed silently, “has to hold something when he snores.” The chickens banter as the cock crows. “mmmhmmm Good Morning.” I stumble up from the floor and an aching back from sleeping in the wrong position. “Do you know what it’s like to share a bed with you?” I rapped out point for point. “Would you tell?” he slowly said. “No I wouldn’t you idiot.” I silently cursed in my mind. “Do you know what I wouldn’t tell.” He almost says in a drunken stupor as if to temp me. “We are lovers in the future. But it doesn’t work out, so life has granted you five days to be with me in dreams. Would you stay?” Hurt as if by the very poise of my head turn And the tilt of my arms he reaches up and kisses my sweat beads away Tasting salt as if for the first time and whispers: “Knowing that princess. Would you bed me?” The blue curtain blocked out the sunshine but allowed streamers of blue to tickle the room in odds and ends. I sighed and allowed him to kiss me again. This time there was no mercy or kindness in hiding his desire. Such passion in the lips as he pressed his beating heart to mine. I nibble his lips in the kiss and respond; “I’m sorry James. I barley know you. 4:30 is picking me up this morning.” As if in jest James picks up the fork and chucks it in the plastic trash bin. “Of course, Eledona. As predicted.” “I’m 4:30 and I wish to pick up Eledona for her family” says a servant over the microphone. His blue hair shone in the sun from his new crew cut And he lightly hinted that the family was impatient to meet Eledona. After the taxi ride 4:30 showed Eledona into a Castle. “This is where your Troll family lives. They wish to dine with you at teatime.” “Eledona” cries a woman over 4:30. “Eledona! How you’ve grown. We’ve all missed you here. 4:30 I’ll personally take her baggages And show her to her room.” “You are?” “Eva. I’m your head servant. I used to pour sand on your eyes so you would sleep as a child. Remember?” “You’re grandma Snow White wishes to see you before you go.” Chapter 5 "The cars disappear at dusk; they fade; they shine; then erase. As if I spoke backwards; the journey goes on..." ~MoMo Spoonork “You’re Asian and you’re Grandma Snow White.” I exclaimed “Well, hair black as night should have given it away.” Grandma replies. “The castle is beautiful. I’m glad I’ve met the family. Their kind.” “So, how long will you stay this time Eledona?” Grandma asks politely. “Five Days. I bought it from a Dream Vendor named James.” “Of course. James sells the best. Are you in love with him? Many girls are, he’s very handsome.” “No. He can be a jerk sometimes.” I comment pointing to my bruised back “There was no bathroom where I slept so I had to pee on the floor. Now there’s a rumor about a princess and a pea; all because of James, Grandma ma. I’m absolutely furious.” “You dream speak now in the old tongue. I’m proud of you that you remember such propriety just as if you were back from your childhood dreams. I hope your five days will be a blessing And you find what you are looking for…remember it is not yourself…it is inside the heart that matters. Don’t blame James for what happened; see everything as a lesson. 4:30? Take princess to her chambers and make sure she is well accommodated. You’ll go and learn lesson from the unicorns. James applied to take you there. Such a kind boy. Now I expect full marks the first day.” Grandma huffed and puffed proudly and walked away. James walked up: “So, unicorn riding huh.” “Shut up.” I muffled quietly. I don’t know who you are to expect such treatment of kindness. You always annoy me. “Oh, who peed on the floor and created a great story for the bar pub to tell? Who cleaned up the mess in the first place.” Stealing up James kisses me hard again then lightly licked my earlobe. “Mhmmmmm…tastes like raspberries.” I go to slap him and he catches my hand and pulls me closer. “Payment for that and the pee; I expect some love. For riding with the unicorns; even more. Do we have a deal, sleeping beauty? You sleep way too much for a princess.” I pull away and he hungrily eyes the laces and tassels on my dress then abruptly states: “Right….unicorns.” The majestic toss of the sea of unicorns emulates the shrug of the ocean fluttering against the shore. “Ah you are late, James. We have already started studying the stars tonight.” Uklespade said. “Forgiveness” James lightly whispered “The bar was full tonight.” Uklespade grimaced: “Affairs of men we try not to understand. Have you heard the stars sing tonight?” James looked abashed: “I was not able to complete the homework and study the stars fully.” “The stars sing of danger and mystery as usual, Uklespade.” another Unicorn commented. “That’s not the true question. The question is when will the stars not sing. And that is a true sign of danger.” Winklifut responded in wisdom. “Yes” said James humbled by the fact that his ass was saved by Winklifut. Chapter 6 Your hush blush cigarette testifies to the fact: bitter love answer tastes like moon. ~MoMo Spoonork I walked by the Unicorns studying the stars. Each herd like a constellation of unicorns breathing in through the trees and meadows like bright diamond silver held by palm leaves. James bowed over his book studying the night away to make up for lost homework. “Do you guys want to go by a brook and watch the water patterns?” asked a kind voice. “My name is Leavengrad. I’m quite bored of just watching stars.” Said the same voice again. James and I politely accepted and silently rushed away from the groups studying the stars for song. The river quite like the milky way flooded through the soft moss. As we toed our way forward The moon shone like a beacon of hope through the night in her long whispery dress dripping into Ribbons shaped like the rivers floating past. Everything doused in silver filigree And the moon shampooing the trees with love. The brook murmured and babbled as if to tell a wonderful story named Serendipity City and everyone listens because no one else has a tale except the badger Who guards his home through the ripples of time. Leavengrad trotted through the silver forest As if used to the bronze leaves and rotting apples. The orchids and roses are in full bloom like kisses spooned to the sky. The sent of summer jasmine thickly sprinkled and pumed through the trees. And then a howl. As if that howl tied all the beauty of the wilderness together. “Brother Wolf,” asked Leavengrad “are you in pain. Why do howl with such bittersweetness.” “Leave me alone. Do you not see my children dead before me? Do you not see my wife Elise captured by humans to be made a servant?” “Brother Wolf” Leavengrad politely responded.” You are supposed to sing to calm the public, not disturb them with new music.” “Dash it all. I’ll sing with him” James responded in calm. “Vampire. How can you howl? Yes, Eledona James is a vampire. Vampires drink sing like drunks. They can never howl at the moon. It’s documented in the stars. All the elders say so.” Leavengrad commented. At that moment I decided to howl with the poor bastard. I opened my throat and release empathy with his pain like darting needle cry that creates laces among the star wisps. Follow suit, James and Leavengrad howled with me. That night a unicorn, a human being, and a vampire howled weaving broken melody with the wolf. It was documented by unicorns as the most beautiful song ever created by the wolven kin. It was so pure that a genius brought the tune to society While crossing over to the real world from Dreams. He called it: Furry Elise. Chapter 7 When you ride a unicorn, Under the leaves forlorn; You know; you know The song pure that goes: Around the necklace of a rose. “Guting Gu, Ling va Ling.” Sigh. Repeat. “Guting Gu. Ling va Ling.” Sigh. Repeat. “James what exactly are you doing?” “Push ups and crunches; known as the sun dance.” “It’s the second day.” “I know.” “Is it going to be worth my money?” “I don’t know usually customers get dreams; not dream worlds.” “When do I return?” “On the fifth day. Just as promised.” “Why am I here?” “I think you know. You wanted to be free.” “I think I’m here to find myself.” “And so you are.” “And what are you here for?” “For family and friends. Say here little one. Do you believe in Destiny?” “I’m not sure what that means. To a degree.” “Maybe the universe agrees that you’ve already found yourself When you find family and friends.” “I’ll be the one to decide if I find family and friends.” “What if Life has already chosen it for you in this journey?” “Then I’m selfish for wanting to only find myself.” “And so you are, but what if you need to be hermit like or selfish to grow.” “Then it is enough, balanced.” “Then so it is.” Leavengrad interrupted the conversation: “Are we ready to go and adventure forth seeking life?” James guffawed in laughter: “Not until our princess decides that the forth is the seeking to go.” Leavengrad hushed in response: “Princess is allowed to ride upon my back, sidesaddle.” James turned absolutely white and glanced at my pearl necklace: “I see.” Leavengrad happily munched on a golden apple that I held And James watched jealous. “Why can’t I have had that apple instead?” “James, why are you so jealous of all of sudden?” “I could have had that apple.” “But leavengrad already ate it.” Leavengrad hinted back: “Don’t you eat something else? Besides Grandma Snow White has donated her old cottage house from the seven dwarves as heritage to Eledona. Isn’t that great news? We have our own house!” ** Cough. Cough. “This house is filthy. Absolutely filthy.” James coughed out loud. Cough. Cough. Lick. “The table tastes like gummy bears. Not bad.” Leavengrad whinnied. Cough. Cough. Wipe. “Leavengrad that’s ages old.” In disgust Eledonna said. “Wait. There’s a mirror.” “No, way not the one that screwed over the witch By telling the huntsman what to do?” “What do we say to it?” “Well, you could say like Snow White: I’d like to clean this house for Grumpy before I find out that he’s the King of Trolls.” The mirror responded in sarcasm. “What you’ve never met an African American Genie before. Boy don’t look at me that way. I saved Snow White. I should win a Nobel Peace prize for that.” Chapter 8 "What is my place." Asked a little plant. "To grow." The baobob tree responded. ~MoMo Spoonork What if you had only five days, now going on four days to learn about a world that you thought you knew, but you didn't know until you learned to dream: a dream bought on a 35 dollar kiss that allowed portals to everywhere. What if time is money and money is time? Carpe Jugalar: go for the throat? Live your life without regrets? What if timing didn't matter? What if at the end of a long journey that lasted for years ended up to be five days in the real world? What would you do? Panic-ing about this time phenomena. Exactly. You would wake up. Shit. I woke up. The alarm clock rang out 6: 30 a.m. and I slammed the sleep button for five more minutes. Groggily I looked out the window. It's rainy and foggy. Just like New York weather but home-y in the sense that it won't bring hurricanes. I go to the bathroom and look in the mirror to see what time has down to the eyes. “Good morning Beautiful! You look fresh like a box of apples!” Says the mirror cheerfully. “Where am I?” “Serendipity City. What did you forget?” “I used to be in…” stunned I looked around. I’m in a cottage bedroom with seven little beds pushed together roughly so I could sleep. The Quilted blanket snuggled close to my arms and chest and the fire place happily crackled. James poked the fire and chucked in a log. “Good morning. Leavengrads outside nuzzling on some moss.” “I wish I could nuzzle on some sort of food. They don’t give you things to eat in the mirror. Hey my name is Butler. You guys know it right? All right. No fart jokes. I mean it.” “There’s some news,” James hesitated turning towards me ignoring the mirror who kept making fart jokes. “Hey did you know that Benjamin Franklin wrote “Fart Proudly?” Tuning the mirror out I focused. “What news?” “Bad News to you, Good News to the Archulates.” Growled Rafu. “Rafu. Brother Wolf. Why so somber? Why so serious? You were never like this. In fact your wolven song healed our nation after the war. Only positive thoughts remember?” asked the mirror. “Three witches and a Harpie ate my children for their spells. Their cauldron has finally turned green. You know what that means?” growled Rafu in anger. “It means …damn it all I should have studied harder with the elders.” Grimaced James. “It means, James,” Leavengrad clamly stated, “that children are in danger In the dream world and the real world: they will attack Serendipity City: the bridge between the two worlds. “Then let us never allow them to cross over. Let us here now pray to the great Spirit of Love And ask for the route to the real world to be forbidden and lost; only to be found through Serendipity.” James stated. Rafu, James, Leavengrad and I bowed in prayer believing they would never find the path To the real world through the great spirit of Love. Nearbye the prayer A wicked creature dared laugh at their action. Fzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz-ing The creature died laughing with blood and an arrow blooming out of his chest. “Where did the arrow come from? There’s no archulate to claim the good deed arrow. We all saw a man running with dust at his feet from miles away towards us. As he ran towards us nearer and nearer he shot another arrow. “Good shot.” He smiled. We looked to trace the arrows path: but it disappeared without notice. The still archer was still frozen in his draw of the bow waiting for the sound of Fzzzzzzzzzzzzz-ing. Another creature down. “Where is your pray? Archer?” growled Rafu. “If we walk three mountains, you shall find the roc dead. I hunt evil birds and shoot them down.” “You’re name?” “Eagle Eeys. I spyed an evil creature near you from seven mountains off And decided to protect you on whim. Don’t ask. It happens all the time. Don’t call me Archer. I’ve broken from the Archulettes. Great abuse of power that I can’t stand. I gave myself a name to avoid the number system.” “What’s the number system?” I asked politely. “When they name you after time.” Chapter 9. Every sneeze today I declare is my work of art in 24 hrs. It's song that no one truly hears but one note of.... ~MoMo Spoonork The rocker named Ipod is very ordinary. Only when he turns around. You notice his wings. “You just saved a bum by donating to his tin can.” “Right.” be continued…